Actions you can take to reduce your cancer risk: eliminate all tobacco use; eat a healthy and balanced diet;
increase your physical activity; reduce your exposure to the sun and the amount of alcohol you consume; and manage any
pre-existing disease with the appropriate medications in addition to getting vaccinated against certain infectious agents.

cancer nanodrug, vincristine sulfate liposomes (Marqibo), for the
treatment of a rare, rapidly progressing form of leukemia.
Nanotechnology is applied not only for cancer treatment, but also
for cancer detection and diagnosis. Several nanotechnology based
laboratory platforms are emerging; they offer opportunities for
novel and improved methods for the early detection of cancer from
biological fluids, the identification of novel biomarkers and the
development of tests to rapidly determine the effectiveness of
therapeutic regimens in individual patients. In addition,
nanotechnology can be used to improve the quality of life of cancer
patients. For example, there are now nanotechnology based
implants that can release cancer treatments in an optimized time-release fashion to maximize the therapeutic effects of a drug, while
reducing side effects and without confining patients to the hospital.

Nanotechnology holds the promise of providing a complete
spectrum of tools to improve our approaches to cancer prevention,
detection, diagnosis and treatment as well as to enhance quality
of life.
American Association for Cancer Research

Reducing Cancer Risk ThroughBehavioral Modification

It is clear that approximately 50% of cancers could be prevented by
behavioral changes such as quitting smoking, increasing
exercising, adopting a more healthful diet and following
recommended screening guidelines. Individuals are often aware of
the negative consequences of their behaviors, but find it extremely
difficult to change them. Research in affective and cognitive
neuroscience is beginning to show that this is not the consequence
of moral weakness. Neurobiological changes induced by behavioral
addictions, such as cigarette smoking and compulsive overeating,
can bias our decision-making processes and prevent us from
adopting healthier lifestyles. For example, brain-imaging studies
have demonstrated that nicotine, like other substances of abuse,
hijacks brain circuits underlying emotional and cognitive processes.
In fact, recent studies suggest that, for some individuals, cigarette
smoking might reduce their ability to enjoy other pleasurable
activities, making it more difficult for them to quit.

As our understanding of the neurobiological processes underlying
specific behaviors increases, it might be possible, for example, to
develop new personalized smoking cessation interventions that will
minimize the risk of relapse and will allow smokers to achieve their
goal of a smoke-free life. By discovering biomarkers that will refine
diagnoses, and by creating interventions that will help individuals
adopt and maintain healthy behaviors, continued and increased
neuroscience research can significantly contribute to reducing
cancer risk, incidence and mortality.